1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fence construction, and in particular relates to a vehicle-mounted device for stretching fence wire, such as electric wire, between fence support structures such as posts.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is difficult and time-consuming to stretch lengths of fence wire, such as electric wire, between posts or other fence support structures. Typically the wire made of aluminum, steel, stainless steel or other fencing material is in a large, heavy spool. To make the fence, the wire is pulled from the spool which is located in a vehicle, such as in the back of a pickup truck. The wire is attached to an initial post, and then unwound to be long enough to reach the next post, stretched taut, and attached to the next post. Because of the distance between posts and the weight of the intervening wire, it is very difficult for one person to pull the wire taut enough, and generally two people are required.
There are known devices for holding the spool of wire in a particular position in or on the vehicle. Generally these devices do not provide a way of providing tension or tautness to the wire. The patent of Popps (U.S. Pat. No. 7,530,522) does provide a way to spool fencing from a vehicle that includes a frame that is configured to be attached to a motor vehicle, a pivotable cradle on the frame, a gripper assembly that is made of a gripper shoe, vertical axle and a gripper frame that rotates about the vertical axle and places the gripper shoe into contact with the spool of wire when manual force is placed on the handle by the operator of the motor vehicle. The rolls of wire are placed on the vertical cradle and wire is threaded between the gripper shoe and a fence guide. This prior device is a large complicated device with many parts that is preferably configured so that a handle of the device is accessible by the operator of a tractor on which the device is mounted. The means of attaching to a vehicle includes use of grip pins and a center mount.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an easily attachable and detachable portable fence wire stretching device that may be attached by one person to a standard trailer hitch adaptor and that extends behind the vehicle horizontally at the level of the hitch. It is a further object to provide a fence wire stretching device on which a roll of wire may be easily placed, and when sufficient wire has been pulled from the roll, the wire may be pulled taut and held in a taut position.
Other objects and advantages will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.